Button.



PATENTED MAR. s, 1908.

N0. 880,725. A. EFFENBERGER.

BUTTON. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1907.

Alexaqfler [if f 15 E222; W M2 ATTORNEYS ALEXANDER EFFENBERGER, OFORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed May 27. 1907. Serial No. 375.878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER EFFEN- BERGER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference, generally, to improvements in that classof buttons known in the art as military or bachelor buttons; and, theinvention relates, more particularly, to a novel construction of buttonand means for detachably securing the same in its fixed position uponthe face of a piece of fabric or other article of wear, without theusual sewing.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a button and novelbutton-fastener of the character hereinafter more fully set forth, whichalthough it permits of the separation of the back-plate or shell fromthe eye of the button is not in itself detachable from said back-plateor shell, so that the button-fastener which is usually made fromspring-metal, while being manipulated for the separation of theback-plate or shell from the eye or loop of the button, will not springfrom between the thumb and fingers of the operator when clumsilymanipulated, and when brought into its detached relation with the buttonproper will not become separated from the back-plate, so that thefastener can not be lost and is at all times ready for use.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:Figure 1 is a front or face view, and Fig. 2 a rear view of abutton and button-fastener made according to the principles of thisinvention, said Fig. 2 showing the fastener in its locked or holdingengagement with the back-plate and the eye or loop of the button. Fig. 3is a view similar to that represented in Fig. 2, but illustrating thespring-fastener in its separated relation from the eye or loop of thebutton. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the button, said section beingtaken on line 44 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a similar section, taken online 55 in said Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a rear face view of the back-plate orshell of the button, with a portion of the springfastener showninseperably connected with said back-plate or shell.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference-character 1 indicatesany suitably shaped button-head, and 2 is the usual eye or loop whichprojects from the back of the button. The button-head shown in theaccompanying drawings, is of the form and construction known in thetrade as a military button; but it will be evident, that my novel formof button-fastener to be presently described may be used with any othersuitably formed and shaped button-head which is provided with arearwardly extending loop or eye.

The button-fastener consists essentially of a suitably formed plate orshell 3, usually made from sheet-metal and preferably in the form of acircular disk, said plate or shell having a centrally disposed andelongated slot or opening 4, through which the eye or loop of thebutton-head can be inserted. The said plate or disk 3, as will be seenfrom the several figures of the drawings, is made with a pair ofoutwardly or rearwardly projecting portions 5 and 6, which are suitablyforced out of the metal, so as to provide openings or receiving portions7 and 8, and the rearwardly projecting elements 5 and 6, which arediametrically opposed to each other, substantially in the mannerillustrated, forming suitable retaining elements or memberssubstantially as and for the purposes to be presently described. Thesaid outwardly or rearwardly projecting portion or element 6 is alsoprovided with a downwardly extending retaining lug or tongue, as 9,which is bent substantially in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6inclusive, and extends directly into the opening or receiving portion 8,with its free end 10 terminating directly at or near the edge-portion 11of the back-plate, disk or shell 3.

When the eye or loop of the button-head has been forced through thefabric 12, or other suitable body, and has been inserted through theelongated hole or opening 4 in said plate 3, a holding or retaining pinor device comprising a pair of spring-arms, which normally tend. tospread in opposite outward directions, is passed beneath the lug ortongue 9, which it forces upwardly, so as to arrange the said lug ortongue between said spring-arms, the latter then being passed throughthe receiving portion 6, the eye or loop 2, and through the otherreceiving portion 7, substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of thedrawings. The said arms by means of their spring-like action are broughtinto frictional holding engagement with the parts of the plate or shell3 and. the eye of the button-head, the said plate or shell and thebutton-head thereby being positively secured in their operativelyconnected relation upon the opposite faces of the fabric, against anyaccidental separation, or from becoming loose and lost; but, the pin orholding device upon manipulation, permitting the backplate or shell 3 tobe separated from the eye or loop 2, for the removal of the button-headfrom the fabric. One form of such holding .pin or retaining deviceconsists, essentially, of a pair of diverging spring-arms or members 13and 14, which are connected by means of a curved or looped end-member15. At their opposite ends, the said spring-arms or members arerespectively provided with suitable finger-pieces, substantially in theform of doubled-over or loop-shaped endmembers 16 and 17. Outwardly bentor curved portions or elements 18 and 19 are also provided for thepurposes to be presently described.

From an inspection of Figs. 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings, it will be seen,that the retaining lug or tongue 9 acts as a stop against the withdrawaland complete separation of the holding pin or device from theback-plate, disk or shell 3, because of the fact, that when the pin isbrought into the position shown in said figures, the curved or loopedend-member 15 will ride upon said tongue or lug, and thus cannot beseparated and lost from said plate or shell. In bringing the holding pinor retaining device into its operative holding relation with theinserted eye or loop 2 and the portions or members 5 and 6 of the plateor shell 3, the fin er-pieces 16 and 17 are pressed toward eac other,thereby bringing the two spring-arms or members 13 and 14 parallel toeach other, so as to be readily inserted through the loop or eye 2, withthe connected end -portions of said arms arranged and held in thereceiving portion 7, directly beneath the portion 5, as will be clearlyevident. Upon the removal of the pressure from the fingerpieces, the outwardly bent or curved portions 18 and 19 are brought into holding orretaining engagement with the edge-portions 20 and 2]. of the portion orelement 6, whereby the pin is positively locked against accidentaldisplacement, and thus at the same time securing the button-head in itsoperative position upon the face of the material or fabric against alldanger of being pulled off and. lost. It will thus be seen from theforegoing description of my present invention, that I have devised adevice for military or bachelor buttons which is operative for securingthe button-head and the back-plate upon the opposite face of the fabric,and in which these parts are readily separable, but the holdin pin orretaining device being inseparable from the back-plate or shell, so thatit can not be lost or misplaced.

I claim:

1. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, and a retaining or holding pin movably but inseparablyconnected with said plate, said pin consisting of a pair of spring-armsadapted to be brought in holding engagement with said loop, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, a retaining lug or tongue on said plate, and aretaining or holding pin slidably connected with said plate, said pinconsisting of a air of spring-arms adapted to be brought 1n holdingengagement with said loop, and a connecting element between saidspring-arms adapted to be brought in engagement with said retaining lugor tongue, so as to be inseparable from said plate, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, said plate having a pair of outwardly extendingmembers form ing pin-receiving portions, and a retaining or holding pin,said pin consisting of a pair of spring-arms movably arranged in saidreceiving portions adapted to be brought in holding engagement with saidmembers and the loop of the button-head, and said pin being inseparablyconnected with one of said outwardly extending members, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

4. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, said plate being provided with a pair of outwardlyextending members forming pin-receiving portions, a retaining lug ortongue projecting from one of said outwardly extending members into thereceiving portion therebeneath, and a retaining or holding pin movablyarranged in said receiving portions, said pin being inseparablyconnected with said retaining lug or tongue, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth. a

5. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, said plate being provided with a pair of outwardlyextending members forming pin-receiving portions, a retaining lug ortongue projecting from one of said outwardly extending members into thereceiving portion therebeneath, and a retaining or holding pin, said pinconsisting of a pair of spring-arms movably arranged in said receivingportions adapted to be brought in holding engagement with said outwardlyextending members and the loop of the button head, and a connectingelement between said spring-arms adapted to be brought in engagementwithsaid retaining lug or tongue, so as to be inseparable from said plate,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which said'loop is inserted, said plate being provided with a pair of outwardlyextending members forming pin-receiving portions, a retaining lug ortongue projecting from one of said outwardly extending members into thereceiving portion therebeneath, and aretaining or holding pin, said pinconsisting of a pair of spring-arms movably arranged in said receivingportions, said spring-arms being provided with oppositely extendingcurved elements in engagement with one of said members, and a connectingelement between said spring-arms adapted to be brought in engagementwith said retaining lug or tongue, so as to be inseparable from saidplate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. A button and button-fastener comprising, in combination with abutton-head and its loop, a perforated plate into and through which saidloop is inserted, said plate being provided with a pair of outwardlyextending members forming pin-receiving portions, a retaining lug ortongue projecting from one of said outwardly extending members into thereceiving portion therebeneath, and a retaining or holding pin, said pinconsisting of a pair of spring-arms movably arranged in said receivingportions, said spring-arms being provided with oppositely extendingcurved elements in engagement with one of said members, and a connectingelement between said spring-arms adapted to be brought in engagementwith said retaining lug of tongue, so as to be inseparable from saidplate, and a finger-piece upon the free end of each spring-arm,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 24th day of May, 1907.

ALEXANDER EFFENBERGER.

